Quoted from.News.com.au "Ban threat crashes F1 party

By Ian Haberfield, Kelvin Healey and Byron Young

March 06, 2005"

"MELBOURNE could lose its Formula 1 Grand Prix and Australia might be banned from holding other world motor racing events, motor sport's international governing body warned yesterday.

In a bombshell, the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile said in a prepared statement that it would reconsider Australia's right to host major motor sports events.

The FIA's anger was a result of court intervention that allowed F1 team Minardi to run cars in yesterday's qualifying session that had been in breach of the federation's regulations.

The FIA threatened to strip Australia of world-title events, the F1 grand prix and Rally Australia in Perth.

Minardi boss Paul Stoddart sought an injunction in Victoria Supreme Court on Friday to allow his cars to compete despite a ruling by stewards that they did not comply with the FIA's 2005 F1 technical regulations.

The issue will be discussed at a meeting of the FIA's World Council in Paris at the end of the month.

The FIA said Justice David Habersberger had not heard both sides of the case before granting the injunction. It said it was not given notice of the hearing and was denied an opportunity to appear.

"Apparently the judge thought it right to interfere with the running of a major sporting event, overrule the duly appointed international officials and compel the governing body to allow cars to participate in breach of the international regulations - all this without first hearing both sides of the case," the FIA statement said.

"If Australian laws and procedures do, indeed, allow a judge to act in this way, it will be for the World Motor Sport Council to decide if a world championship motor sport event of any kind can ever again be held in Australia."

The FIA will decide Australia's motor sport fate in Europe in a fortnight.

Minardi chief Paul Stoddart last night said he withdrew the court action after FIA chief Max Mosley threatened to cancel the grand prix.

"It was the FIA and their lawyers that requested, at about midnight last night, that I withdraw this action, stating that, 'Otherwise Max is threatening to cancel the Australian Grand Prix'," Stoddart said, also in a prepared statement.

"I stated at the time my total disgust at such threats and, in the presence of most of the senior members of the FIA, CAMS, AGPC and their legal representatives, I agreed in the interests of the Australian Grand Prix to comply with their request to withdraw."

Australian Grand Prix supremo Ron Walker played down the FIA's threat.

Mr Walker said Melbourne had a contract to host the race until 2010 and the Victorian Government had an option for a further five years.

"This race is not in jeopardy," he said. "It's never been in jeopardy; it'll go past 2010.

"I think in future the law will be changed in terms of the international situation to ensure that this will not happen again."

The Minardi row, brewing all week, is the latest chapter in a long-running saga over the control of F1.

Melbourne-born aviation millionaire Stoddart champions the cause of F1's under-funded tail enders against the might of Ferrari and the FIA.

The civil war has split the F1 community: the sport's supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, says Stoddart should quit; others see him as a future head of the FIA.

Stoddart agreed to take his cars up to 2005 safety standards after objections from Ferrari and Red Bull.

He said he had made his point and had won a guarantee from the FIA that he said would lead to more stability and less cost in the sport. Stoddart said: "I think it was a landmark decision that a court actually saw fit to uphold the law as opposed to the FIA's regulations."

Earlier yesterday, Minardi announced it had dropped its legal bid after agreeing to meet race standards. Minardi lawyers formally dropped the legal application.

A spokeswoman for Premier Steve Bracks said everyone had legal rights, including Minardi."

this could be our last F1 and Rally in Australia

It's all a bluff, Stoddard just ruffled their feathers.

He could do the same in the UK & numerous other countries. The law is the law & FIA can't change that.

What Stoddard did was wrong & I reckon he won't be around in F1 too much longer, after all he didn't comply to 2005 spec & it only took him overnight to rectify the cars so they could comply. He should have changed the spec & saved all the crap in court, FIA weren't even notified of a court appearance.

Minardi don't have enough cash for R&D for new cars & before the end of last year had every team bosses signature for them to run the 2004 car, but some team bosses have changed & the new ones won't sign. Ferrari refused to sign his latest approach & personally they shouldn't. This sport is for the big boys not the wanna be's.

Russ

The whole Minardi issues sh!ts me no end!!!

FIFO - Fit In or *beep* Off.

Done. Sorted. Next?

Got them some free advertising in the papers.

All smoke and mirrors.

With a number of senior officials from AUST holding positions witht he FIA, I dont think so.....

This is huff ad puff to stop Stoddardt!